A Dark Past
by saxman07
Summary: Slavers come and destroy Shepard's life on Mindoir. This chronicles the story of him becoming a ruthless soldier. Chapter 2 now up.
1. Mindoir

**Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect**

A Dark Past

John Shepherd awoke to the sounds of screaming. He could hear gunshots in the distance. Today was his sixteenth birthday, sixteen years on the planet Mindoir. John jumped up and ran into the kitchen. Nobody was there and was dishes and food littered everywhere.

John ran back into his room and looked outside the window. There was a column of smoke rising from the city. He threw on a pair of clothes and ran out of the house. His heart was beating hard. Screams echoed up the hill from the small colony below.

John ran down toward the city as fast as he could. He tripped over a fallen log on the road in front of him. His body crashed into the ground and he rolled a couple feet downhill. Ignoring the pain, he lifted his legs and continued down the road until he reached the city.

The buildings were fallen and burning. Bodies were everywhere littering the ground. The smoke was coming from the center of the city so John cut through the streets to see what was happening. Lying dead on the ground was a heavily armed man John recognized as a slaver. He picked up the slavers assault rifle and ran toward the city square.

When Shepherd came near the square he saw at least ten slavers holding a group of men and women hostage. He recognized a few of his friends and his parents in the group.

"Kill them," the lead slaver screamed.

"No," John cried.

His Father looked at him with love in his eyes then, shots were fired. The twenty hostages all fell dead on the ground in the square. John dove behind debris to escape the gun fire raining down upon him from the slavers. When their guns overheated he rose up and shot at the men who destroyed his life. Two of them fell and the others found cover.

John surveyed his surroundings. Slavers were coming from every direction. He was surrounded and going to die. John stayed behind the rubble until the slavers guns were overheated again. He ran out into the open and unloaded all the fire from the gun it had. Three more slavers fell and he aimed at the lead when he found he had run right in front of him but his gun was overheated.

"Shit," John swore. The lead slaver had bright blue eyes and dark tan skin. He smashed his gun down upon John's head and the teenager fell onto the street.

"You bastard, you killed my family," John screamed. Ten other slavers surrounded John and the leader pointed his gun toward John's head.

"They deserved it," the slaver spat at him with a smirk on his face. A bright blast whizzed across the leaders face. More blasts rained upon the slavers and John was losing consciousness. Before his head hit the ground he saw the leader scampering off down the street and Alliance marines standing over him.


	2. The Mission

**10 years later**

"Officer Shepherd to the briefing room," came over the comm. John Shepherd sat up in his bed. His room was small but he had nothing to put in it. "Officer Shepherd to the briefing room," came again.

"I know, I know," he muttered. Whatever they wanted him for must have been very important. John was stationed on large ship known as _Fire Ball_ and he loved space travel.

There was something appealing to him about floating in the cold dark realm of space.

John made his way to the briefing room, nodding at his fellow soldiers when he passed by.

He had just returned from a successful mission recapturing a fortress on Frios from smugglers. He loved to kill. Every time he killed an enemy soldier he felt he was getting revenge for the people who murdered his family.

"John, I heard the mission was successful," Sam, a friend of his and engineer on the _Fire Ball _said.

"Yes, it was. How is it going for you," John replied back.

"Well, Shepherd, I just got back from the briefing room. They want you pretty bad."

"What's happening?" John questioned.

"All I know is I'm coming on the mission with you. They say you're leading it."

"Thanks, I better move along now." John walked past Sam and headed toward the room. He did not understand why his superiors wanted him but he assumed he had done something good. After 10 years of military service he had not yet forgotten Mindoir.

That day of pain and suffering that day had caused him turned him cold and full of hate. John had a skill with people, though. He was not shy or timid and he could read people by there emotions, emotions like kindness and compassion that he did not have.

After being called over the comm at least ten times John made to the room. "Shepherd, were the hell have you been," Admiral T.J. Richards yelled at him. John hated this man who had made most of his military life hell by giving him pointless assignments.

"Sorry, Sir, this is a big ship. Anyway what's the rush?"

"Shepherd you're the best damn soldier we've got." I've decided to move up you're rank," the admiral half yelled at him. John finally felt a surge of accomplishment rush through him. The first happy feeling he's had in years

"As you might already know you're leading a mission," the admiral interrupted his happy feeling.

"Yes, I've heard but nobody in this place has told me what," John said with a grin on his face.

"On the planet Arlos, a man named Croagalis is making illegal weapons and smuggling them to colonies throughout the galaxy. We want you to break into his factory and destroy it. If you can capture Croagalis and bring in him that would be great."

"Who is on my team?" Shepherd asked.

"Sam that engineer, Boltowski, Mason, and Covington are coming as far as I know."

"Covington is the only soldier there who can properly fire a gun. Boltowski and Mason are the worst soldiers we've got on this ship," John yelled.

"Shepherd, this is who we could spare and you're first mission and you better do what I say or you and Boltowski will be cleaning the ship for a week," the admiral replied very angrily.

"I'm sorry, Sir," apologized John.

"Yeah well you'd better be. Gear up; you're leaving at 1200 hours."

After John left the room a woman walked into the briefing room. "Did you tell him, admiral," she said in a cool smooth voice.

"No, Olivia, he doesn't know a thing, the admiral told her. "If he passes this test he's going on a smaller ship where he is needed.

"What ship?" Olivia asked.

"It is called the _Normandy"_


End file.
